Power-training children

Rad class teaches youths self defense

Rad class teaches youths self defense

February 02, 2006|SHERRY VAN ARSDALL Tribune Staff Writer

BUCHANAN -- Ten-year-old Emily Ward tucked her chin into her neck. Then, she leaned back and threw her head forward at waist level. "Oh, that hurt," Emily said. After a few more practices, she was able to do it without hurting herself. The fifth-grader was learning a head-butt forward self-defense move to protect herself during a 12-hour radKIDS program. Lt. Milt Russell of the Berrien County Sheriff's Department said the "rad" stands for resisting aggression defensively, a personal-empowerment, safety-education program for children ages 5 to 12. "I think it's good to train ourselves and if something really happens we can protect ourselves," Emily said. She's now a radKID, and so is her classmate, 10-year-old Rose Murdock. "I feel more confident now," Rose said. "I felt scared before, and now I don't feel scared." The program was brought to the county last year by the Sheriff's Department and Michigan State Police, Russell said. "Police officers and teachers were invited to the weeklong class and logged 30 hours of instruction," he said. Along with Russell, participants in the training included Kathy Hickok, a teacher at Ottawa Elementary School in Buchanan, and Tonya Margaritis, a counselor at New Buffalo Elementary School in New Buffalo. "We all did it together and decided to work together at the beginning," Russell said. The three instructors taught a session last fall for 5-to-7-year-olds and just finished with Girl Scout Troop 722 at Stark Elementary School in Buchanan. The group received their certificates of completion during a graduation ceremony. The eight fifth-graders gave a simulation demonstration to their parents of the different moves and kicks while Russell was dressed in full protective gear. "It gives the girls an idea of what it would be like to give real-life kicks to an attacker," he said. Ten-year-old Lauren King had fun while learning to be a radKID. "I liked doing the kicks and I learned a bunch of ways to attack and other ways of safety, too," Lauren said. "It was fun." There were topics on home, school and vehicle safety, out-and-about safety, the differences between good and bad touches and self-realization of personal power. "The parents got a 40-page handout at the beginning and there is homework all the way through the program," Hickok said. "A piece of me is relieved we're done, but I'm going to miss it. I'm eager to start another group." And that's the goal of the Sheriff's Department. "Our aim is to travel around the county as much as possible to present the program," Russell said. The group took their radKIDS stance -- hands and feet in a defensive position -- to practice the moves. In loud voices, they repeated the three principles of being a radKID, "Yell out, hit hard, and run fast." "These girls are a whole lot better off than when they started," Hickok said. Emily voiced her opinion about the program. "I think it has good techniques and every child should know this if it happened to them," she said. For more information on the program, call Russell at (269) 983-7141, ext. 7204. Staff writer Sherry Van Arsdall: svanarsdall@sbtinfo.com (269) 687-7004